Ortec, ES Cell: Stem cell research meets first 'significant' milestone

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., Aug. 3 - Ortec International, Inc. announced that its collaboration with ES Cell International Pte, Ltd., established in April 2004, has yielded its first significant milestone by producing and storing what may be the first clinically compliant human embryonic stem cell lines.

These cell lines were derived using feeder cells from viral-tested human cells rather than mouse cells, and, therefore, should be able to be used in human clinical trials to develop novel stem cell therapies, the companies said in a news release.

The feeder cells used by ES Cell in developing these cell lines were manufactured by Ortec, and are Food and Drug Administration approved and manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices.

Ortec is one of the few companies that has received FDA approval to use allogeneic cell lines (derived from third-party donor cells) for cell therapy, the release said.

Ortec produces, develops and manufactures cell lines for use in OrCel, its cellular product for accelerated skin regeneration in chronic and acute wounds.

Under the April 2004 agreement, ES Cell paid Ortec upfront payments for the right to use one of Ortec's cell lines. Ortec is entitled to receive future payments on the achievement of milestones in ES Cell's human cell-derived cell therapy programs, as well as payment of royalties for future commercial sales of ES Cell's cell therapy products.

Ortec, based in New York, is focused on advancing regenerative medicine.

ES Cell is a regenerative-medicine company based in Singapore.

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